Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson reported increased local revenue from provincial government economic enterprises and tourism, agriculture gains, improved medical facilities, and more infrastructure in Negros Occidental in the past year.
These show that notwithstanding the drawbacks and manifold challenges caused by the previous years, the state of the province is good, he said.
The governor delivered an about one and a half hours state of the province address before members of the Negros Occidental Sangguniang Panlalawigan led by Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer and provincial government department heads at the Social Hall of the Capitol in Bacolod City on Tuesday afternoon, August 8.
“As we move forward, let us continue to make Negros Occidental a place where opportunities and progress are available to those who are willing to work for it, while adhering to our values in the face of rapid modernization,” he said.
“In order to reach these common aspirations, we must face all obstacles together, as a united people and province,” he said.
The governor reported that Negros Occidental has attained a rice self-sufficiency level of 84 percent, which assures the province of food security until the end of the year.
He also said that based on the national ranking on Priority Livestock Commodities, Negros Occidental is No. 3 in goat production, No. 4 in swine, No. 4 in carabao, No. 5 in poultry and No. 15 in cattle production.
The provincial government is also gaining ground in its battle against African swine fever, he said.
“We have managed a single-digit (daily) mortality rate, in fact, we had days of zero mortality,” Lacson said.
He also reported that Negros Occidental remains a bird flu-free province.
INFRASTRUCTURE
A total of 29.8891 kilometers of provincial road concreting/upgrading projects worth P457.5 million were completed last year, while 9.1487 kilometers are on-going, amounting to P148 million, Lacson added.
“We believe that farm-to-market roads and other rural infrastructures will contribute to more economic activities and development, as well as promote peace and order at the local level,” he said.
For this year, the provincial government’s civil works projects total P278 million, which include the construction of an Animal Rescue Center in Silay City, Sanitary Landfill in La Castellana, concrete paving of provincial roads in various LGUs, upgrading of hospital facilities, among others, Lacson said.
REVENUES
The Economic Enterprise Development Department has served as one of the highest revenue-generating departments of the provincial government, he also reported.
He cited the high increase of revenue in the accommodation facilities and catering services of the Negros First CyberCentre, Negros Residences, Food Terminal Market of Occidental Negros, and the Mambukal Resort and Wildlife Sanctuary and catering services.
The CyberCentre generated P64,329,885, from its rental revenues from January to June 2023 with a 92.5 percent occupancy rate, or a 32 percent increase compared to same period last year, he said.
Mambukal Resort and Wildlife Sanctuary and catering services was also able to collect approximately P9,780,741, achieving a financial self-sufficiency rate of 80 percent, he added.
Lacson said from 2022 to the first half of 2023, a total of 2,309,464 same-day visitors and 678,520 overnight tourist arrivals were recorded with combined tourist receipts amounting to P9,774,432,000.
The Negros Occidental provincial government also collected P44,230,997.50 from the extraction fees and utilization of mineral resources, administrative fees, and the imposition of fines and penalties to violators of Governor’s Permits and Provincial Tax Ordinance 2017-001 from January to June 31, 2023, he said.
The Treasurer’s Office has accomplished a revenue collection efficiency of 53 percent. During the 1st semester of 2023, there was a significant collection growth of 58 percent compared to the same period in 2022, or an equivalent collection of P353 million. The implementation of the revised local revenue code played a significant role in realizing this outstanding collection growth, Lacson said.
Income from Local Sources for CY 2022 reached 70 percent of the set target or an equivalent amount of P476 million, he added.
HEALTH CARE
The Negros Occidental Comprehensive Health Program (NOCHP) also continues to aid Negrosanons, especially indigents and senior citizens, he said.
He said from 2022 until June this year, 47,861 NOCHP members and their dependents from all over the province availed of free medical and health services and out-patient care.
The provincial government is also continuing to upgrade its nine provincial government-run hospitals to further improve services, he added.
He said the bed capacity of Cadiz District Hospital will be increased from 50 to 100 beds, and he Lorenzo D. Zayco District Hospital in Kabankalan from 25 beds to 100 beds.
The Dialysis Unit Building at the Ignacio L. Arroyo Sr. Memorial Hospital in Isabela will soon be completed to cater to more patients, and two more will be established in Kabankalan and Valladolid, he added.
SCHOLARSHIPS
He also said the Negros Occidental Scholarship Program Division currently has 3,234 scholars under 25 scholarship categories
“We have a total of 358 scholars who graduated in different courses for 2023 of which, one was summa cum laude, 18 magna cum laude, and 28 cum laude,” Lacson said.
He also He also said the Negros Occidental Language and Information Technology Center (NOLITC) continues to be a potent driving force in harnessing the sustained expansion and continued growth of the Information Technology-Business Process Management industry in Negros Occidental.
There were 616 scholars who successfully completed the competency-based training programs of NOLITC from August 2022 to July 2023, with an 86 percent employment rate, he added.
He also reported that the provincial government has finished the construction of various infrastructures within the Panaad Park and Stadium in Bacolod City, such as the rehabilitation of the rubberized track oval, main grandstand, covered court and diamond softball field, and the construction of the open bleachers, beach volleyball court, covered court extension, additional parking areas and lights.
SP REPORT
Lacson noted that the Sangguniang Panlalawigan enacted five appropriation ordinances, including the Provincial Mining Ordinance of 2022, 1,111 resolutions and 29 regular ordinances in the past year.
A total of 535 resolutions passed were mostly relevant to medical assistance to indigent patients covering various hospitals, education, and legal concerns, among others, he said.
“Let us continue to show our country and our constituents that a reliable, honest, honorable, and God centered governance is possible in our time and our province, “Lacson said.
“We will continue doing our work as mandated by the people to serve the province,” Ferrer said.*